Kevin Pierce wrote: Hitch is talented but he shouldn't be getting that amount, since he can't get work in on time. If someone is not reliable they shouldn't be hired. But oh well, the world isn't fair.

That seems a trifle unfair Kevin.

-Darren

I would say instead that anyone who cannot meet a deadline should take on work with less of a deadline.  That seems a little more fair.

Stephen Rockwood wrote: I would say instead that anyone who cannot meet a deadline should take on work with less of a deadline.  That seems a little more fair.

True, work within your parimeters. But to say that artist A can't meet deadlines is an exageration. Am I then to assume that Artist A has never met a deadline ever? Am I assume that out of all the links in the chain of production, that Artist A was always the perpitrator of the delay? Am I to assume that Artist A is taking on commitments with prior knowledge that he/she has no intention of meeting them?

Just seems to me that the statement/arguement is flawed in so many ways that it can only be salvaged if the arguer knows something that isn't present in the arguement!

If that's the case, then present it! I'll be happy to pass the thoughts on to Bryan.

-Darren.

Edited for spelling.

Anthony castrillo wrote: The guy is AMAZING, regardless of his ability to keep a schedule. Most guys of his calibre work months ahead(Jim Lee being a good example) just to keep up.Afterall who knows what personal problems may arise-it would seem unfair to critizize when we're no previ to his day to day existence. Lokk at tthe amount of work that goes into just one of his pages- most artists put less than half the effort in a whole book. Bottom line-he's worth the wait. MAC

Bryan does put a lot of information on a page but I wouldn't say it's any more or less than say John does, it's just presented in a different manner. I can't say that I -Know- that Bryan has never let a personal problem effect his deadline but I will say that I'd be shocked as that certainly wasn't the Bryan that I knew.

-Darren

Oh, I have no opinion about said artist's (I assume we are still talking about Hitch) ability to meet deadlines.  It was just that the previous statement was such that he didn't deserve such-and-such a page rate if he can't meet deadlines.  I think that is ridiculous personally.  Whenever the artist turns in the art it is the same art he would have produced regardless.  It should be worth the same amount.  The idea that less art might be produced during a given time is just lowering the amount of money that the artist will make.  This really can't be helped if an artist's turnaround time is slow (I've found that it varies from artist to artist and doesn't really have an affect on the quality of the art good or bad).

Hitch is worth every dollar he gets paid, as is John Byrne. What ever the reason that Hitch doesn't make his deadline none of us can comment on. Some artist just aren't as fast as they would like to be . From personal experience I can tell you no fan or client would rather a artist be faster then said artist him or herself. Marvel should adjust it's publishing date on the Ultimates to suit Hitch if they wish to have them be their artist .If they don't wish him to be or aren't satisfied with his not being able to reach the deadline then they should replace him. Not all of us are as fast as Byrne dang it ! I know i sure as hell wish I was.

I don't think I would go so far as to say that the publisher should bend the deadline around the artist. I agree with Stephen in-so-much that an artist knows his or her own limits and being honest with what their workload can take, the editorial staff can be free to find suitable/complimentry stand in artists.

An artist may be able to do 24 books a year but only do 11. If they are signed up to do 11 a year then there's only the requirement for one fill-in book.

If Bryan was unreliable I'm pretty sure Marvel wouldn't have tied him up with a x-year contract just recently.

-Darren

Life does not get in the way.  Life is the most important thing.  We get wrapped up in "me, me, me" to think that others need a bit of "me" time too.

The only wish is that there would be "fill in" issues like the old days to keep things on schedule.

i'll agree with Anthony post especially with the fill in issue. I nominate John Byrne to do all fill in issues besides the three titles he is working on a month on top of what ever other endevor he has seeing as how he is         &nbs p;         &nbs p;                         'THE REAL FASTEST MAN ALIVE!!'